I am quite familiar with that area of the law. Your email piqued my curiosity. So, I contacted Jon Cooper to get his opinion. Jon and I discussed the fact that providing information (forwarding press releases and the like) to the Council does not fall within the parameters of “lobbying.”

However, and on the other hand, multiple members of SNAP have not only provided information, they have indeed asked for votes from Council Members–lobbying–and attempted to influence those votes. I even get the occasional facebook message from SNAP members requesting my support.

I hope you will similarly ask the members of SNAP to have their group registered and any of its officers to register as lobbyists if they are acting on behalf of an organization and have received funds or collected money in furtherance of achieving the objectives of SNAP.

I don’t think it’s necessary for either group to do so, but if one side “appears” to be a lobbyist, then certainly the other side is too.

I figured you invited for the opinions of others by sending to all of us and know you want everyone to be on the up and up. I do as well.